Fiscal court awards $80K to arts and heritage center

Mary Jane Epling, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
Updated ·2 min read

GRAYSON Carter County Fiscal Court voted to disperse $80,000 in opioid abatement funds to the Olive Hill Center for Arts and Heritage on Monday night after previously voicing concerns that the project may not fit legislative guidelines.

Last month, Renee Parsons said the center — based out of the old Olive Hill High School’s campus — was in desperate need of roof repairs in order to keep up special programs put in place after local schools underwent budget cuts in theater and music departments.

To close the gap on the lack of art-based extracurriculars offered, Parsons said the organization wanted to implement after-school programs, which she said combatted poverty and statistically supported the likelihood of youth avoiding drug use.

The program’s purpose, per Parsons, would fit within the opioid abatement funds guidelines aimed at curbing future drug use.

Last month, Carter County Attorney Brian Bayes presented a little doubt toward the proposal, as he had projects rejected by the state for not fitting statute requirements, including funding for bulletproof vests for law enforcement.

On Monday, however, Parsons and several members of the heritage center were back with the same request.

Bayes said he had direct communication with the state who said the center’s proposal met the opioid expenditure outline.

Magistrate Derrick McKinney was the first to make the motion, as Parsons and the center had “done everything we asked you to do.”

Magistrate Harley Rayburn seconded, commending the center for being the “only one to ask for” the settlement monies for youth programs.

The motion passed 3-1, as Magistrate Millard Cordle said he’d like to pump the brakes to “do more studies to see if we’re doing the right thing here.”

Cordle said since last month the court was apprehensive it would have to pay back the $80,000 if the state saw issue with the expenditure, he wanted to check with other departments first.

However, outnumbered by the “yeas,” the fiscal court voted to sign the check.